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Corpus Christi Watershed

Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · January 11, 2026

Fulton J. Sheen • “24-Hour Catechism”

(2 of 50) “Conscience”

Jeff Ostrowski · January 9, 2026

Comm. Fauxbourdon • “What does it sound like?”

Remember the days you prayed for what you have now!

Jeff Ostrowski · January 9, 2026

“Ad Te Levavi” • Variant

This particular variant hints at “tone painting.”

Daniel Marshall · January 8, 2026

Now That You’re Shunning Bad Hymns … Stop Announcing Them!

“When we announce hymn numbers, we’re not facilitating participation—we’re disrupting it.” —Daniel Marshall

Jeff Ostrowski · January 7, 2026

Bach’s Psychotically Awesome Walking Bassline

Thirty-six (36) pedal notes without interruption!

Mark Haas · January 7, 2026

A Simple Way to Utilize Handbells

The method itself is wonderfully simple.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 6, 2026

Fulton J. Sheen • “24-Hour Catechism”

(1 of 50) “Philosophy of Life”

Jeff Ostrowski · January 6, 2026

“Reminder” — Month of January (2026)

Since a new month has arrived, it’s my pleasure to remind you that…

Jeff Ostrowski · January 6, 2026

Hymn Translation • “Was Dr. John Mason Neale the Greatest of All Time?”

I received permission to reveal publicly this “comparison chart” of hymn translations.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 5, 2026

August 1970 • “Graduale Simplex Doc” (12 pages)

Similar to polyester vestments & wreckovations, its sad legacy is bound up with everything regrettable about the 1960s liturgical reforms.

Julie Huebner · January 4, 2026

“Puer Natus in Béthlehem” • (Added Fifths)

A dash of something!

Jeff Ostrowski · January 3, 2026

How Does The Vatican “Rhythm” Actually Sound?

With an excerpt from the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 2, 2026

“Adeste Fideles” • Too Many Translations!

Broadly speaking, only one has attained general use throughout the English-speaking world…

Corpus Christi Watershed · December 30, 2025

Card. Heenan on Ronald Knox: “Perhaps the Church’s greatest figure of the 20th century.”

“Although renowned as a preacher and scholar, the real greatness of Knox lay in his holiness of life.” —Cardinal Heenan (Archbishop of Westminster)

Jeff Ostrowski · December 27, 2025

“Kaitrin Drost Strikes Again!” • Plus a Few Random Thoughts and Tirades by Jeff Ostrowski

Imagine walking up into a choir loft and sounding like these young ladies without rehearsal.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Good Friday Flowers
    Good Friday has a series of prayers for various parties: the pope, catechumens, pagans, heretics, schismatics, and so forth. In the old liturgical books, there was no official ‘name’ for these prayers. (This wasn’t unusual as ‘headers’ and ‘titles’ for each section is a rather modern idea.) The Missal simply instructed the priest to go to the Epistle side and begin. In the SHERBORNE MISSAL, each prayer begins with a different—utterly spectacular—flower. This PDF file shows the first few prayers. Has anyone counted the ‘initial’ drop-cap flowers in the SHERBORNE MISSAL? Surely there are more than 1,000.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 3rd Sunday of Lent (8 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its stern INTROIT (“Óculi mei semper ad Dóminum”) is breathtaking, and the COMMUNION (“Qui bíberit aquam”) with its fauxbourdon verses is wonderful. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
    It isn’t easy to determine what Alice King MacGilton hoped to accomplish with her very popular book—A Study of Latin Hymns (1918)—which continued to be reprinted in new editions for at least 34 years. This PDF file shows her attempt to translate the DIES IRAE “in the fewest words possible.” There’s a place for dynamic equivalency, but this is repugnant. In particular, look what she does to “Quærens me sedísti lassus.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Grotesque Pairing • “Passion Chorale”
    One of our rarest releases was undoubtably this PDF scan of the complete Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) by Father Joseph Roff, a student of Healey Willan. One of the scarcest titles in existence, this book was provided to us by Mr. Peter Meggison. Back in 2018, we scanned each page and uploaded it to our website, making it freely available to everyone. Readers are probably sick of hearing me say this, but just because we upload something that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wonderful or worthy of imitation. We upload many publications precisely because they are ‘grotesque’, interesting, or revealing. Whereas the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal had an editorial board that was careful and sensitive vis-à-vis pairing texts with tunes, the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) seems to have been rather reckless in this regard. Please take a look at what they did with the PASSION CHORALE and see whether you agree.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The choir shall henceforth sing or say no anthems of our Lady or other Saints, but only of our Lord, and then not in Latin; but choosing out the best and most sounding to Christian religion they shall turn the same into English, setting thereunto a plain and distinct note for every syllable one: they shall sing them and none other.”

— 1548 Edict of King Edward VI (a heretic) for Lincoln Cathedral

Recent Posts

  • Most “Congregational” Hymn • (In My Experience)
  • Music is the “Humble Handmaid” of the Mass
  • Good Friday Flowers
  • PDF Download • “Entrance Chant” for Holy Thursday (Plainsong in English)
  • “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation

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